


Better Than Tonight

by wingsyouburn



Series: Tifa Week 2020 [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Final Fantasy VII Remake compliant, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:40:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23986942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsyouburn/pseuds/wingsyouburn
Summary: The stars won't shine in the slums of Midgar.
Series: Tifa Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729564
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	Better Than Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Tifa Week 2020 on tumblr, with the prompt: _“Have you ever wished for an endless night? Lassoed the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight.” - glitter in the air by pink._

Tifa never thought she’d miss the stars as much as she did when she moved to Midgar. The plate provided artificial sunlight, and in turn, artificial night. Lights would twinkle from above, but it was all the inner workings that kept the poor in the slums. 

But they were not stars. They were but a reminder that the rich lived above them, and the rest would have to take what they’d been given. Some people in Midgar had never lived outside of the slums. They never knew how beautiful the sky was when the stars came out one by one, winking into existence against the black of night. 

It didn’t stop Tifa from climbing to the roof of Seventh Heaven after her shift was over to watch the fake sky. No one cared when she slipped out the back door and scaled the wall hand over hand. After a night of dealing with drunks and raking in tips, she deserved this moment to herself. 

She drew a breath, the scent of metal and oil and filth filling her nose. Tifa thought of Nibelheim, of the water tower and a sky full of stars. She thought of the quiet of a rustling wind, the chill of the night air. Up here, it wasn’t even cold - even the stale air was regulated. Still, she closed her eyes. When she blocked out the sounds of the city, she could imagine she was somewhere else. 

Anywhere else but here. 

“Hey! The hell you doin’ up there, huh?” 

Barret’s voice broke through her reverie. Tifa looked around the edge of the building until she spotted him. The big man stood on the back deck, waving his good arm at her. “I’m fine,” she called back. “Don’t you worry about me.” 

“Gonna worry if you break your damn neck!” Barret crossed his arms. “Marlene’s up. She’s askin’ for ya. Good night kisses and all of that.” 

If anything would drag her from the rooftop, it would be Barret’s sweet adopted daughter. Tifa cast one more glance up at the sky, promising herself she’d be able to enjoy the real thing once again. 

Maybe she’d be able to share it with Marlene someday. The little girl deserved better than a life in the slums. Barret was here in Midgar for much the same reasons Tifa was - both with nowhere else to go, both with a stubborn drive to make their lives better. Two peas in a pod, even if they went about their goals in different ways. 

Being with Barret and Marlene and the rest of Avalanche reminded Tifa that she wasn’t alone. This was a way stop to something better. When she got where she was meant to go, she’d know. 

On light feet, Tifa leapt from the top of the roof and landed beside Barret. “See? Told you I had it,” she said, brushing off her skirt. “Let’s go tell her goodnight together.” 

A slow smile drifted over Barret’s lips. His eyes lingered on Tifa’s a second longer than necessary. “Yeah. I’d like that.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Title also from "Glitter in the Air." ♥


End file.
